Sinn Fein needs to accept poll

The new Irish Times poll indicates that a large majority in Northern Ireland would say no to leaving the UK and significant numbers indicate they don't want a referendum currently (‘Poll showing UK support should bolster London in its unionism,’ Ben Lowry, Dec 10).

This must be a hard pill for republicans to swallow — but they must accept it. Sinn Féin and some members of the Irish media think changes in voting patterns at elections in NI would be mirrored in a referendum. But people judge issues in a referendum differently than what their parties may want. A constitutional shift for Northern Ireland would be a phenomenal shift for all the people in NI and something they would take far more seriously than an election.

The referendum would not be about the Republic or any changes there as such. I am of the opinion that we in the Republic are better off with NI than without it. It gives us direct access to the UK market unlike any country in the world. For some reason Sinn Féin wants to delete it and form an as of yet undefined new republic. SF has also not considered the real possibility and profound consequences of defeat in a border poll. It would be a winner take all referendum and would copper fasten NI’s position in the Union for all time, if lost.

What do they do then? Look for another referendum(s) to try to change the result? Or go back to non-democratic routes when all democratic ways to delete NI have failed.

Maurice Fitzgerald, Co Cork